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ROCK ON THE RISE: GUNS N’ ROSES

A lot of bands have emerged from the L.A. scene in the last few years, and a hot young quintet called Guns ‘N Roses is about to join the list. Together less than two years, singer Axl W. Axlrose [sic], guitarists Slash and Izzy Stradlin, drummer Steven Adler, and bassist Duff McKagen [sic] played in varying combinations in other bands, thus the band’s name, a hybrid of former affiliations Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns. Club circuit favorites, they were courted by record labels and signed by Geffen, which will soon release the band’s limited edition EP (featuring covers and originals) followed by a full-length all-original album in early ’87.

Axeman Slash is surprised by the speed of their progress, especially since they weren’t trying to get signed. “I think the reason we’ve done so well is because we were never out to impress anybody but ourselves,” he believes. A “hard edged attitude that kids could relate to” is another factor, and it’s not one that’s put on: these guys are from the streets. “If we weren’t in the band,” we’d all be in a gang together,” says Slash.

The son of an album cover artist and a clothes designer, he grew up around the music biz and got no flak from his folks when he decided to be a guitarist. Playing since age 14, he was influenced by blues musicians Muddy Waters and B.B. King and the rock greats that influenced the band as a whole: the Stones, Aerosmith, T-Rex, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Jeff Beck.

Slash, who handles most of the leads and solos, writes the music and oversees production with Iz and chief lyricist Axl, though Duff and Steve contribute as well. Slash, the businessman of the band, describes Iz as the “quiet, reserved one,” Axl as “the violent, moody one.” Duff is “the alcoholic,” and Steve as “the cute one, the David Lee Roth of the band,” and characterizes the Guns N’ Roses sound as closer to AC/DC than Judas Priest. “I’d love to tour with AC/DC, Aerosmith, or Motley Crue,” says Slash, itching to play nationally. They’re currently broke (they blew their record advance on equipment and recreation) but that should soon change – Guns N’ Roses is aiming for the top, and they’ve got a shot at making it.